Cyprus and Moldova will clash in Nicosia, seeking a morale-boosting victory after both were defeated in their first March friendly. Neither side managed to qualify for this summer’s World Cup, and both are using these matches to prepare for the UEFA Nations League.
Cyprus Aim to Turn Things Around
Cyprus finished fourth in Group H of World Cup 2026 qualifying, securing just eight points from eight matches. They have only won two of their last 11 games across all competitions, with both wins against San Marino.
The Cypriots, currently ranked 128th in the world by FIFA, suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Belarus. Akis Mantzios, the head coach, is using this month’s camp to assess his squad and build momentum for the Nations League.
Cyprus will begin their Nations League campaign in September with a visit to Montenegro. Their other opponents in Group C2 will be Armenia and either Latvia or Gibraltar.
Moldova Hope for Elusive Success
Moldova topped their last Nations League group but have struggled against stronger opposition since then. The Tricolorii finished at the bottom of Group I in the World Cup qualifiers, earning only one point and scoring five goals in eight games.
They suffered a national record 11-1 loss to Norway. Lilian Popescu took over as head coach midway through that qualifying campaign, and his team has continued to struggle.
Moldova have now gone 12 games without a win, most recently losing 2-0 to Lithuania in Chisinau. They will now travel to Nicosia hoping to find some elusive success.
Team News and Players to Watch
Mantzios has named a 25-man squad for the two home friendlies, with Ioannis Pittas, their leading active scorer, remaining a key player. Panagiotis Andreou, a midfielder from Omonoia Nicosia, recently made his senior international debut.
Grigoris Kastanos, a playmaker who came through Juventus’s youth system, has returned from Italy on loan, joining Aris Limassol from Hellas Verona.
Sergiu Perciun and Daniel Tonica, two of Moldova’s rising stars, both play for Torino. However, Mihail Caimacov and Ion Nicolaescu are unavailable due to injury; Oleg Reabciuk and Virgiliu Pos
There have been only two previous meetings between Cyprus and Moldova, with each team securing a 3-2 victory. Moldova won the most recent encounter in June 2024.